Switch cleaner



Sept. 16. 1924. 1,508,502

w. w. BRISSON SWITCH CLEANER F n,ed on. 2, 1923 Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

PATENT OFFlC E.

WALTER W. BRISSON, OF NORWAY, MICHIGAN.

SWITCH CLEANER.

Application filed October 2,1923.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER NV. BRIS- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norway, in the county of Dickinson and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Switch Cleaner, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an attachment to be used in connection with locomotives or the like, the primary object of the invention being to provide means for cleaning snow and ice from the track to insure against snow and ice clogging switches to render the switch inoperative.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may readily and easily be thrown into operation by the engineer in the cab.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically moving the device to its inactive position after it has been operated to accomplish its purpose.

With the foregoing and other objects in 5 View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood 0 that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, with out departing from the spirit of the inven tion.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmental elevational view disclosing the forward end of a locomotive and showing an attachment constructed in accordance with the invention as positioned thereon.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the attachment.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view disclosing a pair of nozzles for directing steam to the track.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view disclosing the operating lever for controlling the nozzles.

vReferring to the drawings in detail, the device embodies a horizontally disposed pipe 5 which is mounted in the bearings 6 that are secured to the supporting bars 7 that are arranged at the rear of the cowcatcher 8, and in front of the wheels 9.

Pipes 10 communicate with the pipe 5 Serial No. 666,138.

through the elbows 11, which pipes have connection with the downwardly extended pipes 12, as by means of the union 13. At the lower ends of the pipe 12 are nozzles 14 which nozzles are removably supported by means of the threads 15 that cooperate with threads formed internally of the nozzle 14.

Steam is fed to the pipe 5 through the hose 16 that has connection with the pipe 5 through the T union 17, which hose 16 communicates with a suitable source of steam supply, there being provided a valve not shown, for controlling passages of steam through the hose 16 and pipe 5, it being understood that the valve is located adjacent tothe engineers seat, so that the engineer will have easy access thereto.

Due to the construction of the pipe 5 and its bearing member, it is obvious that the pipe 5 may rotate or move slightly to cause the nozzles 14 of the pipes 12 to move within proximity to the rails over which the locomotive is moving, and to this end an arm 18 is provided which arm has connection with the pipe 5 to cause the pipe 5 to move when the arm 18 is to be moved. This arm 18 moves within the guide 19, the curved extremity thereof acting as a stop for the arm 18 to prevent the nozzles from being lowered into contact with the ties of the track construction.

In order that the arm 18 may be controlled by the engineer, a rod 20 is supplied, which rod has connection with the arm at one end thereof, the opposite end of the rod being disposed adjacent to the engineers seat.

Coiled around the pipe 5 is a spring 21 that has one end thereof looped around the union 17 as at 22, the opposite end of the spring being anchored at 23 so that when the pipe has been partially rotated to move the nozzles to accomplish the purpose of the invention, the spring 21 will be placed under tension, so that when the rod 20 is released by the engineer, the pipe 5 together with its nozzles will be moved to bring the nozzles to their inactive positions or to positions as shown by Figure 1 of the drawin s.

iln the use of the device, assuming that a switch or frog becomes clogged with snow and ice it is only necessary for the engineer to pull the rod 20 to throw the nozzles 14 to pass through thewpipe 5 andflnozzle's as-"R sociated therewith to the end that the steam will melt the ice and snow and allow the switch to be operated. "j

I claim In a device of the character described,wa

pipe disposed in a horizontal plane and rotatable on its axis, rearwardly extended pipes connected with the first mentioned pipe",dow'nwardly {extended pipes having connection with the las't mentioned pipes and carrying nozzles on their free "ends,x'*a spring coiled around the firstmentioned pipe and acting thereon to hold said nozzles 1n thelr normal ino erative positions, means forrotatingqpthe rst mentioned .pipe': to

move said nozzles downwardly to' operative positions, "means for restricting the rotary movement, 1 and means; for supplying steam to said first mentioned pipe.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of -two witnesses.

WALTER W. -BRISSON.. 1 

